Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 502 · 40 questions

Writer's tip (Show the actions): A telling sentence names the feeling: was sad, felt tired. A showing sentence describes actions, faces and bodies: tears, yawns, shaking knees. Pick the showing sentence that fits the right feeling.

1. 1.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Tenzin dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.” (a) angry (b) bored (c) tired
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Imran counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Tara’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.” (a) telling (b) showing
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Kavya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) scared
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Kavya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is sad? (a) Diya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Diya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Diya was sad.
7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Simran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) happy (b) sad (c) hungry
8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is scared? (a) Riya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Riya was scared. (c) Riya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is angry? (a) Vihaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Vihaan folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Vihaan was angry.
10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) angry
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) cold (b) bored (c) angry
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) showing (b) telling
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is cold? (a) Vihaan was cold. (b) Vihaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Vihaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Kabir’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) bored
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) hungry (b) cold (c) angry
19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) showing (b) telling
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is tired? (a) Sahil was tired. (b) Sahil threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Sahil dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) telling (b) showing
23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera felt very bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is sad? (a) Ananya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Ananya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Ananya was sad.
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) scared
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was really happy.” (a) telling (b) showing
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) telling (b) showing
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Priya’s cheek.” (a) cold (b) tired (c) sad
31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) telling (b) showing
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is happy? (a) Manav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Manav was happy. (c) Manav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) showing (b) telling
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) sad
37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is happy? (a) Joseph hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Joseph sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Joseph was happy.
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is scared? (a) Simran’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Simran rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Simran was scared.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan was sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) showing (b) telling

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